Stage 7
Caherdaniel to Sneem
STAGE 7
Caherdaniel to Sneem
This stage of the Kerry Way follows the line of a Butter Road, old highway/coach road, used more recently for cattle droving and access to Kilcrohane Church for Pattern Day. The way passes close to Staigue Stone Fort and several other archaeological sites. With two moderate climbs, the route affords the walker views across Kenmare Bay to the Beara Peninsula. A section of the Way between Caherdaniel and Coad is marked as a solar walk recognising its association with the International Dark Sky Reserve.
Length: 17.3km
Hours: 5-7 hours
Grade/Difficulty: Moderate
Ascent: 517m
OSI map: 78/83
Grid Ref (Start): V 55161 59532
Grid Ref (Finish): V 68973 66849
Terrain: Mix of paths, rough track (mountain), stone steps, boardwalk and roadway.
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The route in detail
Caherdaniel to Staigue
From the crossroads at Caherdaniel Village travel east on the Walk of the Planets for 2.3km, firstly along a grassy path that gently climbs to reach a well-defined remote mountain road in Baile Uí Chearnacháin / Ballycarnahan. En route you will find everything from Mercury to Uranus.
You now reach a junction in the Kerry Way Walking Route at Camomile Corner in An Comhad / Coad. The trail to the left leads, via the Windy Gap, to Mastergeehy while straight ahead leads to Sneem.
Continue straight ahead along the well-defined mountain road for 700m, encountering Neptune on the way, to reach a tarred road at Beitheachán / Behaghane. Carry on for 500m to the end of this road, passing Pluto, thereafter continuing on a well-defined grassy road through green fields, only to graduate back to a 200m section of narrow tarred road once more. The trail then veers left onto another grassy road and continues through Na Gabhláin / Gowlanes, crossing a tarred road en route, and emerges onto a tarred road at An Stéig / Staigue. Remain on this road for 1.4km with An Lios / Liss to your right and An Stéig / Staigue to your left.
Staigue to Sneem
The trail then veers to the right and continues for 2.6km, firstly on an unsurfaced and shortly afterwards on a well-defined mountain road, over the mountain shoulder and passing a forestry plantation in Botha Chogram / Bohacogram. Staigue Fort is visible to the north en route. The trail then follows a 250m section of narrow tarred road before returning to a mountain road for 1.4km to climb the ridge ahead. On reaching an unsurfaced road at An Gort Dromach / Gortdromagh turn right and after 350m, turn left just before reaching the N70 Ring of Kerry Caherdaniel to Sneem road at An Muine Fliuch / Moneyflugh. Travel for approximately 620m, firstly over rough ground then on a grassy track to reach a narrow tarred road and after a further 150m carry on straight through the next T Junction.
After 350m this tarred road fades to a grassy road for 650m, passing through forestry plantations, before graduating back to tarred road status again at An Doire Thiar / Derry West. Remain on this tarred road for 430m and then go straight ahead at the next bend and continue on another unsurfaced road for 1.1km until you reach another narrow tarred road at Na Gabhláin Thoir / Gowlanes East. Continue on this road for 2.2km, passing through An Lománach Theas / Lomanagh South and straddling the boundary between Meall an Róistigh / Moularostig to the left and Inse na Líge Thiar / Inchinaleega West to the right, to reach the N70 Ring of Kerry Caherdaniel to Sneem Road that takes you east for 400m to your destination – Sneem Village – South Square.